For many people, taking pictures of an artistic performance is a risky undertaking. This is due to the character of the object itself: a performance, a show. A show, therefore, involves some complex realities in its execution. Not only are there the director or choreographer, but there are also the lighting engineer, the costume designer, the make up artist, and so on. They are all the necessary components for the execution of an "arresting" and "beautiful" performance. And if such "beauty" is to be captured in a picture, what role will the photographer be playing?

Yani MAE naturally recognizes such risks. Since 1999, she has been specializing in taking pictures of artistic performances. Provided with her experience and knowledge in the art of theatre--Yani herself is a lecturer at the theater department of ASTI, Bandung. "Therefore, aside from economic and efficiency reasons, I only take pictures of some moments of each show," she explains. She also believes one other thing: armed with her knowledge and sensibility about the spirit of the performance, not only is she acutely aware about the moments that represent the show most, but also she wishes only to capture those moments and nothing more. "I merely freeze the show, those moments. Of course, I take only the moments I consider as the most beautiful, the most representative of the show," Yani says.

Her belief, however, does not force her to conduct some researches on the performance she is going to photograph. She, for example, does not find it necessary to watch the general rehearsal of the show in order to find out about the important scenes or moments that she will need to capture. "The reality often disappoints me: what happens in the actual performance itself is often not as beautiful as what happens during the general rehearsal," she reasons. This fact forces her always to have her camera ready. She endures the strain of trying to capture the "good" scenes, her hands, eyes, and camera work in synchronized movements, training the sensitivity of her sight and the swiftness of her hands. This eventually becomes an exhilarating experience, which is almost as important as getting the beautiful pictures themselves.

In relation to her desire "merely" to freeze the moments, Yani never fails to note the name of the performance, the venue, the time, and the director of the performance. She never gives new titles to her pictures. "I title the pictures according to the title of the performance," she says. In this case, Yani's accuracy and attention to details resemble those of a journalistic photographer, who needs to record accurately the time, place, and identity of his or her subjects as the main reference for the works. In Yani's case, however, the accuracy and details are more a form of her sense of solidarity with fellow performance artists. "As a performance artist, I know how it feels when our work suddenly appears to be someone else's," Yani explains.

Maman Gantra

Born on March 13, 1974.
Studied at Indonesia Arts Academy (STSI), Bandung (BA ; 1998); Lecturer of Department of Theatre, STSI, Bandung - Manager Program, Theatre Group of the Payung Hitam, Bandung.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2002 "Portraying Stages", Grand Hotel Preanger, Bandung - Centre Culturel Francais (CCF), Bandung - The Japan Foundation, Jakarta - Dewan Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2002 "4 Female Photographers" in WOMEN COREOGRAPHER GATHERING, Teater Besar STSI Surakarta, Solo.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1998"The Maid" : Poster
2000"Hope" : Photography for Pikiran Rakyat Newspaper; "Rain Repertoir" : Photography for Pikiran Rakyat Newspaper; "A Radiophonic poem, dance and shadow" : Photography for Pikiran Rakyat Newspaper, Bandung; "Incredible King" : Photography for Pikiran Rakyat Newspaper, Bandung; "Kaspar" : Poster
2001 "Jodoh (Pair / Match)" : Drama Play; "Faust" : Photography for 3 Newspapers : Sinar Harapan, Jakarta - Surabaya Post, Surabaya and Utusan Malaysia, Malaysia.

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